Syria, Israel, and the Druze factor: Strategic tensions resurface
Relative calm in the Middle East did not last long.
Efforts by the new Syrian government to stabilize the situation quickly met resistance from those seeking to retain the influence they had acquired amid previous chaos.
On July 15, the Israeli army launched strikes against Syrian government forces in the Suwayda province in southern Syria. The strikes followed events that occurred the day before, on July 14, when more than 30 people were killed in clashes between Bedouin tribes and local militants in a city predominantly inhabited by Druze. Israel stated that the operation was carried out to protect the Druze minority, according to the BBC.
On Tuesday, prominent Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri issued a statement accusing Syrian government forces of violating the ceasefire and bombing the city. He called on Druze fighters to resist government troops.
The Druze are an ethno-religious Arab group in the Middle East who practice Druzeism—a monotheistic religion based on Ismaili Shia Islam with elements of Judaism. They are concentrated in western Syria, Lebanon, and northern Israel. Notably, Druze religious tradition prohibits the establishment of an independent Druze state.
The IDF released a statement after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to “immediately strike government troops and military equipment deployed to the Suwayda area in the Druze mountains of Syria for operations against the Druze.”
“Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to our deep fraternal alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel,” the IDF said. “We are acting to prevent them from being harmed by the Syrian regime and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.”
Despite Tel Aviv’s justification, Israel's actions were met with international criticism. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the strikes and called for an end to violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. His spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric expressed concern over reports of Israeli military redeployment in the Golan Heights.
Israel’s actions were also condemned by Türkiye, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union, which also called for respect for Syria’s territorial integrity.
According to the BBC, following Israeli airstrikes on Damascus and military targets in Suwayda, Syrian authorities announced a ceasefire and began withdrawing their troops from the province. It remains unclear whether the truce is being upheld. Moreover, as international agencies noted, the official military statement referred only to the withdrawal of army units, without mentioning other actors involved in the clashes with the Druze.
On the night of July 17, interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa delivered a televised address in which he emphasized that protecting the rights of the Druze minority is a top priority for the central government. He rejected attempts by “external forces” to exploit the community for their own interests.
The Syrian president also accused Israel of trying to destabilize the country, described the Druze as an integral part of the Syrian people, and stated that Syria would not serve as a testing ground for foreign conspiracies and ambitions.
What is happening in Syria?
The crisis began on July 13 in the city of As-Suwayda, where Bedouins attacked and robbed a Druze man. Tensions quickly escalated, prompting the government to send military forces to the region. The Druze believed the troops were there to support the Bedouins and launched an uprising. As a result of the clashes, 166 people were killed. Israel then intervened, launching strikes on Syrian military facilities, including the army headquarters and the presidential palace in Damascus. At least three people were killed and more than 30 injured.
Today, the situation has relatively stabilized. Support from international organizations and various states has encouraged the Syrian government and raised hopes that the conflict may be deescalated. What began as a seemingly minor criminal incident almost escalated into a full-blown military conflict. International media reported that Druze from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights crossed into Syria to support their kin. Whether Israel anticipated retaliatory strikes on its territory remains unclear. However, al-Sharaa’s government showed remarkable restraint by pulling back its troops from Druze-populated areas. The decision is understandable.
Damascus has only just begun seeking international recognition of its new government and is actively pursuing support in global capitals. A major escalation at this stage could undo all the progress made in recent months with the backing of Türkiye and the tacit goodwill of the White House. The latter has, to a degree, shielded Syria’s new leadership from external political pressure, including from Israel. A confrontation with a war-torn rogue state is one thing; conflict with a country that is cautiously being accepted by the international community is another. Today’s Syria is no longer seen as another Iran—a pariah and a toxic actor in Western eyes.
Instability in Syria has served the interests of many, if not all, regional and global players. As always, Israel acted in pursuit of its own security goals. By supporting the Druze, Israel aligns itself with a population of some 700,000–800,000 people living in a strategically important region of Syria. Through them, Tel Aviv also maintains its influence and preserves leverage over developments in southern Syria.
As for al-Sharaa’s promises of interfaith peace and protection for all ethnic and religious minorities in Syria, such commitments are rarely fulfilled in the region. However, Syria presents a different case. The new authorities are making every effort to gain international recognition and acceptance, and for that reason Damascus will likely strive—at least in the early stages—to maintain some semblance of sectarian peace, even if the state becomes increasingly radicalized. For now, Damascus needs peace with everyone—even with those unwilling to make peace with Syria.
Israel, on the other hand, is focused on preserving its long-standing strategic position. And conflict with Syria could allow it not only to maintain but to expand its influence.
It is worth recalling that back in February, following a shootout between the Druze and Syrian troops, Netanyahu and the Israeli defense minister ordered the army to prepare for a possible intervention to protect Druze in Jaramana. Similar preparations are now reportedly underway.
According to STMEGI, citing Israeli military sources, the army is preparing for several days of combat. Troop deployments are being planned for two divisions on the Golan Heights, along with aerial units including drones and fighter jets. Since the beginning of the conflict, several hundred Israeli Druze have reportedly crossed into Syria to support their Syrian relatives. The Israeli authorities have stated they are working to bring them back.
On the evening of July 17, Syria announced the withdrawal of army units from the city of As-Suwayda. This step followed a ceasefire agreement reached with the Druze community. According to DW, after the withdrawal, state security forces will remain in the area to monitor the roads around Suwayda. The ceasefire agreement also includes the creation of a joint Druze-government committee to investigate the violations that occurred during the latest wave of escalation.
Both Druze and Bedouin detainees are expected to be released, and those who went missing during the clashes will be located. “We are committed to bringing to justice those who committed crimes or harmed our Druze citizens, as they are under the protection and responsibility of the state,” said interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
By Tural Heybatov
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